temperamental

adjective

ˌtem-p(ə-)rə-ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce temperamental (audio)
Definition of temperamentalnext
1
as in moody
frequently influenced by moods and especially bad moods one of those temperamental actresses who can make life difficult for everyone around her

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in volatile
likely to change frequently, suddenly, or unexpectedly stock prices have been pretty temperamental lately, often fluctuating wildly

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of temperamental Your 3rd House of Communication is stirred by the temperamental Moon, while the life-giving Sun boosts your 7th House of Partnership, aligning words with steady commitments. — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026 All the while, the solar panel sat off to one side against the car, topping up the power in dribs and drabs as the temperamental Melbourne weather allowed. — Mike McRae 04, New Atlas, 5 July 2026 But the temperamental Lanza dropped out after recording his songs, and British actor Edmund Purdom acted his role and mouthed the songs. — ABC News, 26 June 2026 The machine's temperamental nature began to bother her. — Sarah Lyon, The Spruce, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for temperamental
Recent Examples of Synonyms for temperamental
  1. moody
  2. volatile
  3. impulsive
  4. unpredictable
  5. unstable
Adjective
  • The songs on Petal are mostly moody midtempo electro-chill, brooding rather than banging.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 31 July 2026
  • Skua has deservedly earned a stellar reputation for its moody interiors, inventive sharing plates (like the market fish, baby fennel, horseradish, and brassica leaves course) and selection of natural wines.
    — Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of moody
Adjective
  • Inflation remains volatile in many countries, reflecting varied conditions in markets around the world.
    — John M. Bremen, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Beyond the oil and gas industry, major banks including JPMorgan are making record profits during the ongoing war thanks to heavy trading volumes as investors rush to dump volatile assets or buy the dip.
    — Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 30 July 2026
Definition of volatile
Adjective
  • Duke responds with an act of impulsive violence that leads to nearly eight years of incarceration.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026
  • That’s only made worse by the fact that it’s treated as some kind of grand betrayal rather than an impulsive act of youthful stupidity that will make for a good story one day.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 July 2026
Definition of impulsive
Adjective
  • The Open Worldwide Application Security Project describes a use-after-free as when a program accesses heap memory after it’s been freed, leading to unpredictable behavior or exploits.
    — Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Even while navigating a challenging economic landscape—marked by fluctuating input costs, unpredictable weather and shifting market dynamics—growers are choosing to formalize and voluntarily provide data on their sustainability practices.
    — SJ Studio, Footwear News, 31 July 2026
Definition of unpredictable
Adjective
  • Also screening is Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur, another feature from Cannes, following a successful company director called Gleb, who finds himself under siege from mounting corporate pressures and an increasingly unstable world.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Federal prosecutors said the men exploited three girls who had run away from foster care, taking advantage of their ages, unstable living situations and lack of family support.
    — Eric Weiss, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of unstable

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Cite this Entry

“Temperamental.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/temperamental. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on temperamental

Nglish: Translation of temperamental for Spanish Speakers

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